“I’ve been under the impression of my findings for a week now since finishing my coursework. I’m especially pleased with the knowledge I’m gaining at the university. It turns out that ecology is a very precise science that allows us to evaluate the state of the environment in numbers and coefficients, and accurately determine the degree of pollution and ways to solve problems,” said Vladislav.
According to the student, thanks to this knowledge he realized how much the profession of an ecologist is in demand in the modern world:
“For any village or business, it is possible to create an environmental project that can help attract funding to improve the living environment. It’s a real tool for change.”
Vladislav also highlighted the importance of training at UTM:
“I advise young people to pay attention to this field. The university has retained a strong teaching staff that continues the best traditions of the former Agrarian University,” he emphasized.
Village: Numbers That Shock
The main theme of Vladislav’s coursework was the study of the environmental situation of a Moldovan village. The results were surprising.
“You’d think that a village is about nature and ecology. But when I started calculating the indicators, the picture turned out to be completely different,” the student shared.
He found that a typical village with 1,000 households produces about 700 tons of manure per year.
“This could become valuable fertilizer if a composting system worked. But in reality, most of the manure ends up in the soil and pollutes well water. Part of it is taken to landfills, where it mixes with plastic and chemicals, poisons the soil, and often smolders or burns,” Vladislav explained.
The situation is worsened by the uncontrolled use of pesticides, which leads to mass deaths of bees.
“The village lacks biodiversity: there are mainly fruit trees, walnut trees, and gardens. Forest plants and animals simply have nowhere to live. Deep plowing and the absence of shelterbelts contribute to erosion — fertility is carried away by wind and rain,” he added.
Eco-Settlement: European Standards on Moldovan Soil
Comparing the situation to an eco-settlement, Vladislav saw a fundamentally different picture.
“An eco-settlement of 40 hectares, where about 20 families manage plots ranging from 1 to 2.7 hectares, became for me an example of harmony with nature,” he noted.
According to him:
Two-thirds of each plot’s area is occupied by permaculture forest gardens, where biodiversity thrives, including species from the Red Book.
The soil is not plowed and is protected by vegetation from erosion. On some plots, terracing has been applied, and aquatic ecosystems have been created for birds and fish.
There are no landfills or large cattle in the settlement, so there is no soil pollution from waste.
No pesticides or chemicals are used — natural fertilizers and bio-organisms are applied.
Beekeeping is developed, which has a positive effect on plant pollination.
“This example embodies the highest European standards: in climate change adaptation, biodiversity enhancement, and the greening of human life. This experience needs to be studied and spread throughout the country,” believes Vladislav Sanduleac.
